A Good Night
by DobbyRocksSocks
Summary: Draco fancies Charlie. Charlie fancies Draco. Draco doesn't believe that Charlie could ever want him. Boy angst, and a fluffy side pairing of HarryGeorge.


**Disclaimer – I own nothing you recognise. **

**Beta'd by the fabulous Michy.**

**A/N – Pairings, DracoCharlie and HarryGeorge, a first for both pairings for me. If you don't like slash pairings, this likely isn't the story for you. Also, a very slight, non graphic mention of Mpreg. **

**Written for – **

**Disney Character Competition – Fawn/Prompt-Name**

**Hunger Games Competition - District 7 **

**Scavenger Hunt – A Character I love. (Harry) **

**Word Count - 3175**

**A Good Night **

Draco tried to resist the attraction, he really did. In the end, it was a foregone conclusion. The dragon handler and the dragon belonged together.

xxxx

Draco stocked the bar quickly and efficiently, three years of practice making the job easy, if a little monotonous. Still, after the War, he had been grateful to stay out of Azkaban, never mind actually find someone willing to employ him. As much as Draco hated to admit it, and refused to do so anywhere but inside his own head, he owed Harry Potter a lot.

The Dragon's Nest was the most exclusive nightclub in the Wizarding World, and it was owned by the Saviour of the Wizarding World, which made it, if possible, even more popular. Harry had decided after the War that he was tired of fighting, and instead of following the expectations of the entire British Wizarding Community by becoming an Auror, he had opened the bar.

Draco, with no money, no family, and the hate of the entire world pushing in on him, had been in a really bad place following the War. Nobody wanted to speak to him, or even look at him, unless it was to glare or spit, or scream obscenities his way. He had been close, very close, to giving up completely when Harry found him.

He had taken him into his flat, given him a room, food, and even a job when the bar opened. The two were closer now than Draco had ever felt to anyone else, almost like they were brothers. It was ironic, Draco knew, that the person he had always thought he hated more than any other had been the one to save him.

Draco's thoughts were interrupted by the very person he was thinking about, when Harry walked through the bar, an easy smile on his face as he jumped over the counter.

"You're going to do yourself an injury doing that one day," Draco informed him dryly, the same way he did every time Harry jumped over the bar.

"Probably," Harry agreed amiably. "The bar's ready for tonight?"

"Of course," Draco replied with a nod, and a 'duh' expression on his face.

"Good, thanks. The Weasleys will be here tonight, Charlie's home," Harry told Draco, a soft warning in his voice. Since the war, Draco had apologised to the Weasley family for all the wrongs he had done them, and with most of them, there was a truce in place. They certainly weren't friends, but they were no longer enemies. Only Ron continued to cause problems, and Draco was fairly sure that was more to do with jealousy about the friendship Draco shared with Harry than anything to do with school or the War.

"No worries," Draco said breezily. He really had no problem with being professional behind the bar, and as long as Ronald kept his vicious tongue to himself, there would be no issues.

"I'll be opening the VIP section for them, but you know most of them never stay there," Harry said absent-mindedly as he set the till up for the night.

"You'll be working the VIP?" Draco asked, wiping the bar down with a clean cloth.

"Yeah, and Darryl and Jennifer will be on the main bar with you."

"Alright." Draco got on well with all the staff now, though there had been issues to begin with. With a small smile to Harry, Draco left the bar area to change into his uniform and grab something to eat. Saturday nights were always busy, and Draco knew that all he would want to do when the bar finally closed was collapse into bed.

xxxx

The club was packed, as Harry knew it would be. It always was on the weekend. He saw the Weasleys arrive (well, who could miss all the red hair?) at around nine thirty, and he waved them through to the VIP section. They all greeted him happily, and Harry grinned when he saw Charlie. He hadn't seen the second oldest Weasley son in over a year.

"Harrykins!" shouted George, pulling the younger boy into an awkward hug over the bar. Harry hugged him back, a tingle of electricity running up his spine. He had fancied George for months, but he didn't even know if the man was gay. George hadn't been seen with a partner of any gender since the end of the War. He was flamboyant, and yet Harry wasn't sure if that was just an act.

"Hey, what are you all wanting?" he asked, pulling back from the hug with a small smile and a soft blush on his face.

"You got any new cocktails?" Bill asked eagerly. The Dragons Nest was renowned for its exotic mixes and cocktails, with new ones and specials being added all the time.

Harry handed out the up-to-date list to his friends, smiling when he saw their eyes lighting up at the latest additions.

"Just how unforgivable is this Unforgivable Drink, Harry?" Percy asked, looking slightly disapproving at the name. He was always dragged along to these family nights out. It wasn't that he didn't like spending time with his brothers and their wives and girlfriends, but he had never exactly been a social butterfly and he often felt uncomfortable in such settings.

"Unforgivable enough for me to warn you against it," Harry told him with a grin. The drink was lethal, and one Harry would recommended as the last drink of the night.

Percy nodded with a wry grin. "I thought so. I'll have a Curse Breaker," he said, putting the list on the bar.

"Good choice," Harry said, mixing the drink up with a professional ease as the others decided what they wanted.

A mixture of Marauders Pranks, Dragon Chasers and Snitches were ordered and Harry made and handed the drinks out quickly. He watched as his friends scattered, some remaining in the VIP, others, including George and Charlie, moving off into the main bar to drink, dance and be social. He knew they would all join back up later, and setting a bell on the bar that was charmed so he would hear it anywhere in the club, he too moved through to the main bar to help the others.

Spotting George almost immediately, his heart sank when he noticed the pretty girls surrounding him, with George lapping up the attention. Harry sighed. That answered that question, he guessed. Plastering a smile to his face, he started serving drinks.

xxxx

Charlie was glad to be home. He loved his job, of course, but he missed his family, and he missed England. It had been a hard decision to leave the reserve after working there for so long, but an offer of a job at a new Magical Zoo had sealed the deal for him and he had put in his notice. Now he was back living at home, already looking for a flat because his mother was driving him mad, trying to set him up with any single woman she could find. He just wasn't interested.

Charlie moved through Harry's club, enjoying the party atmosphere as he danced and drank and had a good time. He missed this on the reserve. The people he had worked with were a serious bunch, which was understandable, of course, given the dangerous nature of their jobs, but he still wanted to be able to have a good time as well. He glanced around the club, and his eyes settled on the blonde behind the bar.

Charlie had been intrigued by Draco Malfoy since the god awful awkward meeting his family had had with him after the War. Draco had truly been sorry for all that was said and done, and while Charlie would never condone what Draco had done over the years, he hadn't been there to witness it. He also didn't believe that Draco had been solely to blame for all of it, no matter what his youngest brother said.

As far as Charlie was concerned, Draco had been punished enough.

Besides, he was smoking hot.

Taking a seat at the bar, Charlie waited until Draco was closest to him, then held up his glass for a refill.

"What are you having?" Draco asked, taking the glass. Charlie thought it was cute how professional Draco was trying to be, and he could tell the blonde was nervous.

"Dragon Chaser, of course," Charlie replied with a cheeky smile, enjoying the blush that spread across the pale cheeks. It suited him, Charlie thought.

"Of course," Draco replied dryly with a small smirk, as he began mixing the drink up. He handed it to Charlie when it was ready, and was moving away when Charlie called him back.

"Hey, Draco."

Charlie watched Draco turn in confusion. "What?"

"If I'm a dragon chaser, are you going to be my dragon?"

Charlie watched the faint blush turn redder, and the confused look that flashed over Draco's face, before he scowled.

"I don't know what your game is, Weasley, but I don't appreciate people trying to make a fool of me."

As Draco walked away from him to serve another customer, Charlie was left sitting on the stool, wondering just how a harmless bit of flirting had turned out so bad.

xxxx

George watched Harry from across the bar as he served, chatted, smiled and just generally acted like the nice bloke George had always known him to be. He was so casually elegant as he mixed drinks, he looked like a god, to George at least. George had been in love with Harry for years, since before he and Fred had left Hogwarts, certainly.

He had always thought it was destined to be unrequited. Harry was straight, or so they had all thought, until the year after the Final Battle. Harry had come out, first to his friends, and then, six months later, to the national press in his yearly interview. George had been filled with hope when Harry had come out, hoping for an opening, a moment to profess his undying love.

That moment never came, partially because Harry didn't seem remotely interested in dating, and partially because every time George decided to tell Harry, his courage left him the moment the handsome, dark-haired man appeared. George instead settled for the little things, hugs upon greeting, brushes of the hands, sitting closer than necessary on the sofa at the Burrow after Sunday lunch.

"Hey," a voice said, startling George from his thoughts. Harry had appeared in front of him suddenly, as if summoned by George's thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"I'm good," George replied, swallowing nervously. Was now the time to tell Harry?

"You sure? You looked a little out of it," Harry pushed, a concerned expression on his face. He was collecting glasses, something a lot of people found odd whenever they saw it. After all, that was what house elves were for.

"Honestly, I'm fine. I... Do you have a minute?"

"Sure," Harry replied. "Just let me take these to the bar and I'll meet you in the VIP area, alright?"

George nodded, trying to keep his courage, afraid to speak in case he said something stupid. He watched, as Harry moved away and then walked towards the VIP section.

It was now or never.

xxxx

Draco served the last drink of the night as Harry rang for the end of last orders and the DJ stopped playing. Another hour and the bar would be empty, and Draco for one, couldn't wait. Charlie's words had stuck with him all night, and though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, he was hurt. Hadn't he been punished enough without being made a laughing stock of?

Draco had long understood and accepted that he was destined to be alone. Not only was he gay, which was only just socially acceptable, but he was a pariah with most of his peers. Even though he had been accepted as part of the staff in the club, that was all most people saw him as. Wait staff. Good enough to serve, but not to be seen with socially.

He had had a crush on Charlie for years. The first time he had felt the attraction had been way back in his fourth year when Harry was facing the Dragons. Since then, the spark inside him had been relit every time Draco saw Charlie, but he fought it. There was no way he could be in lust with a Weasley. At first, the denial had been because he was a Malfoy and Charlie was a Weasley. Draco had seen Charlie as beneath him. Unworthy. He wasn't proud of it now, but he couldn't change it.

Since the end of the War, he had seen it differently. Charlie was part of a family that Draco had hurt badly, and while yes, they had forgiven him in principle, Draco wasn't stupid enough to believe they would accept him happily if he started dating one of them. Another reason to ignore it was that Charlie could have his pick of both women and men, and there was no reason for him to choose someone who would never be completely accepted anywhere because of the black mark on both his arm and his name.

Draco shook his head to remove the thoughts, pushing them away to dwell on later while he was alone in bed, where there was no one to laugh at him as he cried. He started cleaning the bar down by hand. Using magic was quicker of course, but Draco had found he liked the manual way of doing things.

"Draco?"

Charlie was sitting in front of him, and Draco's heart sank.

"I'm sorry if I offended you earlier," Charlie started, looking unsure of himself. "I thought you were gay, I didn't think you'd mind a bit of flirting. I really am sorry if I was out of line."

Draco stared at the red head for a moment, wondering if this was part of an elaborate joke.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it," he said, concentrating on the bar he was cleaning.

"Will you let me make it up to you?"

"There's no need, really," Draco assured him. He wondered why Charlie wouldn't just leave it be.

"Let me take you to dinner next week? Please?" Charlie asked, and Draco eyed him suspiciously.

"Why?"

"To say sorry," Charlie said with a small grin.

"The truth this time. Why?"

"Because I fancy you and I want to take you to dinner. Is that better? And yes, that is the truth."

"You can't fancy me."

"Why not? I can fancy whoever I like," Charlie replied, taken aback. What was the problem?

"Because. Just, because. I can't," Draco said disjointedly, not really sure what to say.

"Look, I'm not really sure what the problem is here," Charlie said. "I fancy you, I'm fairly sure you fancy me, and I want to take you on a date."

Draco stared again, and this time he wavered. Should he take a chance? Would he regret it?

"I'll be waiting outside the Leaky Cauldron at seven pm on Thursday, alright? If you turn up, then great, if not, well, I'll leave you be. I really hope you meet me though. You intrigue me, little dragon, and I'd like to know more about you."

Draco watched as Charlie left the bar, stunned into stillness. He didn't know what he was supposed to do in this situation. He didn't know how to feel. He finished the cleaning in a daze, replaying the conversation with Charlie over in his head.

Was this a chance for happiness?

xxxx

Harry walked into the VIP area, looking around for George. He found him sitting in one of the half-moon booths against the back wall, looking oddly nervous. Harry had never seen George looking nervous in all the years he had known him.

"Hey," he said, putting a drink in front of George and sipping his own.

"Hey yourself," George said with a soft smile, nodding his thanks for the drink.

"So, what's up?" Harry asked, sliding into the booth so they were sitting close together.

"I, I have something to tell you, and I'm not sure what you're going to think, but I need to say it."

"Okay," Harry replied, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"We've known each other for a really long time," George started, and Harry chuckled, making him pause.

"George, I know how long we've known each other. Just tell me what you need to say," Harry said with a smile.

"I love you," George blurted, then looked mortified. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't ha-"

"Don't say sorry unless you didn't mean it," Harry said quietly, looking George in the eyes. He watched as hope flared in them, and Harry smiled just a little.

"I hope you were leading somewhere with that," he said slowly, watching George.

"I was... I, um, Harry, will you let me take you out on a date?"

"Yes," Harry said simply.

George sighed and slumped in his seat in relief. "Thank you. Thursday?"

"Sure, the bar's closed," Harry said, nodding. He grinned at George.

"I'm kicking you out now. I'll see you on Thursday."

"The Cauldron, seven o'clock?"

Harry nodded and stood up, walking George to the door. As George turned to leave, Harry grabbed his hand and pulled him back, pressing his lips to George's for just a few seconds

"Sweet dreams, George."

xxxx

Five Years Later

"I wondered if I would ever see this day, but I'm glad it's finally here. Draco stood and made a speech as my best man a year and a half ago, and I'm honoured to return the favour for him today," Harry said, smiling at the groom. "Draco, for the last eight years, has been my best friend, and in that time, I've realised that no one deserves the happiness he has found with Charlie more than he does. I wish you both the best for the rest of your lives together. To Charlie and Draco Weasley."

Harry raised his glass and the rest of the guests followed the gesture, repeating the sentiment. Harry sat down and took his husband's hand, pressing it to his mouth.

"You haven't told them about the wedding present," George reminded him quietly, to which Harry grinned.

"I've told Charlie. Draco will find out when the Portkey I put on the wedding rings drops them off at the hotel."

George chuckled appreciatively. "He's going to kill you when they get home," he said kissing Harry gently on the lips. Despite being married for nineteen months, they still behaved like they had only been married a day.

"Nah, he can't. It's not cool to hurt a pregnant person."

"No, it's not – wait, what?"

"You're going to be a daddy," Harry said, gently placing Georges hand on his stomach.

"You're amazing, you know that?"

Harry smiled, leaning into the arms that George wrapped around him. He would never have thought this was the way his life would turn out, but he would change nothing.


End file.
